


Three Broken Hearts

by thebigempty (Crabby_Scott)



Category: Book of Life (2014)
Genre: Angst, Canon Temporary Character Death, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 05:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17074022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crabby_Scott/pseuds/thebigempty
Summary: What happened after Manolo died?





	Three Broken Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> angst! also this is in the No One Can Convince Me It Didn't End In Polyamory category

"It should have been me..."

"Yes. It should have."

Manolo didn't think his heart could shatter any further after holding the love of his life dead in his arms. But hearing his brother--the only one who held his heart as much as Maria did--say that, say that he should be the one who died, that did it. His shoulders slumped as Joaquin turned from him and followed General Posada back to town. Manolo wanted to follow. Needed to be there to mourn Maria. But his soul was crushed. So instead he trudged back to the tree in the rain. He bent down and pick up his guitar. His tears mingled with the rain as he stared at the words Maria had carved into it.

"I will never see her again..."

"Are you certain?" Manolo spun around. An old man stood there, completely dry despite the pouring rain. Manolo opened his mouth to ask what the old man meant but his words and breath died in his throat as the old man's skin began to bubble and blacken. The old man shifted and grew, skin turning to tar, wings sprouting from his back, and green fire blooming in his eyes until there he took the form of the being his grandma used to tell him about. Xibalba spoke again. "You want to see Maria again?"

"With all my heart," Manolo replied.

"Think about what you say, boy."

Manolo paused. He was bargaining with a god. In the stories, that never ended well. But the lightning glinted off the wet wood of his guitar--off the last thing he had of Maria. The last thing he had of anyone who loved him, judging by how Joaquin saw him now. He looked up at Xibalba.

"With all. My. Heart."

"Done." Xibalba snapped his fingers and Manolo hear the sound of the snake again. He barely saw it's dark scales and twin heads before it sank it's fangs into his ankles. Manolo's last thought was of Maria.

**************************************

Joaquin's anger faded as he followed General Posada back to their home. He thought about going back for Manolo and apologizing--after all, they had both loved Maria, they should both be there to mourn her. But he decided to make sure the general returned to his home safely.

"What...what happened?" Carlos Sanchez happened upon the passing procession. No one answered for a moment.

"Manolo said there was a snake," Joaquin muttered.

"Where is he? Why is he not with you?" Joaquin must have looked guilty because Carlos dashed off in the growing rain mumbling about the inconsiderate Mondragons. And that was true wasn't it? Joaquin was inconsiderate and awful to his brother. He and Manolo and Maria were as close as anyone could be and Joaquin pushed him away.

"Dear God, I told him he should be dead," he said, realization hitting him like a canon ball. He asked the sisters and the priest to go with General Posada as they passed the church then ran off letting his legs carry him as fast at they could to the island tree. When he go there, his heart stopped.

Carlos Sanchez kneeled at the base of the tree, clutching the lifeless body of his son.

"No," Joaquin fell to his knees. He had lost both his loves in one night. He had lost Maria and he had lost Manolo and the weight of both of their deaths crushed him so much he could only just then realized he loved them both. And they were gone.

He did not know when, but the mariachi brothers had arrived with shovels and began digging Manolo's grave. Beneath the tree. In his favorite spot. Carlos said something to him that he didn't hear but he nodded and stood and made his way back to the center of town.

"Senor Mondragon?" Joaquin blinked at Sister Miguelez as she brought him back to reality. "What is wrong, Joaquin?"

He looked around and realized he must have burst into Maria's room as the were doing the rites. The sisters and the priest stared at him. General Posada stared at Maria.

"Manolo Sanchez has passed as well."

No one said anything. Joaquin moved to Maria's side and kissed her forehead, planing to leave and let his tears come in private, but the moment his lips touched her skin, she woke.

"What?" Joaquin jerked away as Maria sat up.

"It's a miracle!" General Posada sobbed.

"I'm...I'm alive?" Maria breathed, "What happened?" She looked around. "Wait, where's Manolo?"

"I'm sorry, Maria," Joaquin started, choking back a sob," Manolo...Manolo passed away."

"No," she gasped, climbing off the bed, "It can't be."

"I'm sorry, dear," Sister Pasqual said gently.

"Maria, we are all sorry Manolo is gone," General Posada said, standing, "but Joaquin just saved your life." He moved forward as his daughter turned to stare at the rain. "You see? He will always protect you."

Joaquin was mortified. Now, of all times, the general chose to arrange their marriage. It was clear to Joaquin that if Maria was going to chose, she would choose Manolo. She had to be heartbroken beyond belief.

"General, this is not the time," Joaquin tried to interject but General Posada shushed him.

"Please," Maria's father pleaded, "for everyone's sake, mija, make him stay."

"Will you stay in San Angel if I marry you?" Maria looked up at him with big, side eyes. Of course he would, but this was not what he wanted. He did not want her to marry him without love in her heart.

"Yes, but you don't--"

"I accept Joaquin's proposal."

**************************************

Maria knew it was unfair, the way she said it. She never meant to choose between the two men she loved--until recently she assumed Joaquin did not want marriage, even if it was painfully obvious how in love he was with Manolo and herself. Then Joaquin and Manolo both proposed and things got complicated. But now Manolo was gone. So she supposed things were no longer complicated.

This is what she thought about as she and Joaquin walked the bridge lined with wet candles to Manolo's grave.

"Maria, I...." Joaquin sighed, "I'm sorry. About everything. You really don't have to marry me. I will stay even if you don't."

"No, Joaquin," Maria shook her head and stopped, taking Joaquin's hands in her own. "I want to marry you, I do. I love you as much as I love Manolo."

"But, you didn't accept when I--" Maria shook her head again.

"I love you both equally, how was I to choose," she smiled but is quickly faded, "and now I don't have to."

She began walking down the bridge again, now hand and hand with Joaquin. They reached Island and saw Carlos at the base of the tree, holding a candle. Manolo's bullfighting poster was pasted to the tree and surrounded by candles and marigolds and incense. Maria realized it must be past midnight--it was All Souls Day.

Maria let go over Joaquin's hand an kneeled in front of the grave next to Carlos. Joaquin came and kneeled next to her.

"I'm sorry Senor Sanchez," Maria said quietly. He did not reply.

"I..." Joaquin choked out a sob, "The last thing I said to him--"

Maria put her hand on his back and gave him her handkerchief. He mumbled something about not crying and it being the water from the tree. Maria smiled sadly at that.

The three of them sat together until Maria fell asleep against Joaquin and he carried her home.


End file.
